Degreasing machine



Oct. 16, 1951 T J KEARNEY 2,571,581

DEGREASING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG; 1

I N VEN TOR W I TNESSES Film/M51 [mu my @ziwa fl 7 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 16. 1951 DEGREASING MACHINE Thomas J. Kearney, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detrex Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 9, 1948, Serial No. 48,355

1 Claim.

This invention relates to degreasing machines and more particularly to degreasing machines in which the work carriers are rotated at certain desired stages of the degreasing process. The main object of this invention is the provision of a degreasing machine in which the work carrier is rotated while being subjected, with its contents, to a preliminary solvent vapor cleaning. This rotation assists in the draining ofi of solvent which has condensed from the vapor and is present as a liquid on the work. It is obviously very desirable to avoid carrying excessive dirt and grease into the clean rinsing bath. It is therefore one object of the present invention to remove dirt and grease and contaminated solvent from the work before the work carrier is immersed in the clean solvent rinse. A further object of this invention is the provision of a device which will also continue the beneficial rotation of the work carrier through and after the solvent rinsing stage. Still further objects of this invention include simplicity of design, ruggedness of structure and economy of construction and operation. These objects may be realized by the means described in detail below and illustratively shown in the accompanying drawings. The herein described means is to be understood as one example of a means for realizing the above objects, and though it is a preferred form, the invention is not limited to this form.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a side elevation of a degreasing machine partially broken'away to show the details of structure directly related to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows IIII in Fig. 1, the work carrier being shown in side elevation and parts broken away to disclose important details.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view drawn to a larger scale, of the portion of the machine within the broken out area of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the work carrier shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows V-V of Fig. 2.

In describing the embodiments of this invention shown in the drawings, a specific terminology will be adopted for the purpose of clarity, but it is to be understood that it is not intended thereby to limit the invention to this detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof. Each term adopted is intended to include all equivalents thereof which operate in a substantially similar manner to accomplish a substantially similar result.

For descriptive purposes, the invention as shown in the drawings may be analyzed into the following principal elements: a degreasing machine comprehensively designated as H], conveyor chains II and I2 mounted in engagement with a plurality of sprockets l3 and large sprockets l4 and [5, top guides l6 and [1, a lower guide l8, a rack [9, a plurality of rotatable work carriers 20 having pinions 2| mounted thereon for engagement with the rack pin l9, a vapor solvent well 22 and a rinsing solvent well 23.

The degreasing machine shown in the drawings has a conventional casing mounted on a conventional frame-work. A water jacket 24 performs a condensing function in the area over the wells 22 and 23 thereby preventing any substantial amount of vaporized solvent from rising above the level of the jacket 24 which has a condensing effect on the solvent vapor at that level. The major portion of such condensed solvent is directed to the rinsing well 23. A motive power unit comprehensively designated as 25 drives the conveyor chains II and I2. The work carriers 20 are loaded and unloaded at 2B in the cycle of operation. After the loading operation the work carriers 20 containing work items to be cleaned are moved along by the carrier chains II and I2 in the direction of the arrows up and over the bafile wall 30. On passing over the bafile wall 30, the carriers 20 move downwardly into the vapor space beneath the water jacket 24 and lying over the vapor solvent well 22. As appears in Fig. 1, the work carriers 20 are moved over the vapor solvent well 22 and into the rinsing solvent well 23. During this operational stage, the carriers 20 are positively rotated by the means described below in such a way as to remove contaminated solvent from the work without introducing such contaminated solvent into the clean solvent in the rinsing well.

The rotatable work carrier 20 consists of a cylindrical perforated casing 32 having end plates 33. The end plates 33 have bearings 34 formed centrally thereon to receive journal sleeves 35. The inner ends of the axle members 36 are formed with bearing plates 40 which enter into surface contact with circular wear plates 4| mounted on the inner surfaces of end plates 33. As shown in Fig. 2 the rollers 43 engage the guides l6, l1 and I8 and also engage journal sleeves which are mounted in set collars 59. The outer ends of the axles 36 are pivotally connected to the conveyor chains by means of pins 56 held in place by cotter-pins as shown in Fig. 2. The pinion 2| is integrally mounted on one of the bearings 34 and engages with the rack 19 in order to cause the rotation of the carrier 20. A cover member 45 is provided for the carrier 20 as is shown in Fig. 4. This cover member 45 is hingedly attached to the remainder of the carrier 20 by hinges at 46. of the cover member 45 are segments of the end plates 33. :Lo'cki'ng elements'48 are mounted on each end'of the free edge of the cover member 45 for engagement with the ends of axially movable locking rods 50 as shown in Fig. 2. A coil spring 5| urges the locking rods into engagement with the locking elements 48. The locking rods 50 ma be disengaged fromthe locking element 48 by mean of the latch handles' 53 when moved toward each other against the pressure of the spring 5| by the operator in effecting the unlocking operation. A gripping element 54 is provided for convenient opening and closing of the cover member 45.. It will be noted in Fig. 2 that the roll'ers' 43"aresubject to the-guiding control of the guideslfi, l'lfiand l8'which positively direct the'pinion 2| into'engagement'with the pin rack was "shown in Fig. 3. The outer ends 49 of the guides l6'and Il'are'upwardly curved to develop"- gradual guiding action as the carrier 20 pro- 1 gresses. The pinrack"l9 consists of two side merhbers '51 with'cylindrical elements 58 positioned therebetween. It will be noticed that the guides'lii, I1, and I8 and the'rack l9 begin where the carriers 20 enter the vapor space immediately -be1ow thejacket24 andextendover the solvent '=well'22=; down into the solvent well 23, underneath 'the large' sprocket I5 and then vertically upward '"to a point substantially above the jacket 24. In this way guided rotary action of the carriers 20 is providedduring substantially the entire period durihg'which the carriers 20 are subjected to the 'solve'nt vapor and liquid'solvent. This rotary motion-causes a substantial portion of the solvent which has condensed on the carrier 20 and its contents'during" the vaporrperiod to drain off before entering the rinsing stage in well 23. Moreover, the rotary action in the rinsing stage "insures thorough cleaning by increasing the agi- 1 tation of the'workas it passes through the solv ent. The rotation also insures thorough clean- "ing by eliminating air pockets and exposing all of the-surfacesto a liquid solvent rinse. The rotary P action after leaving the well 23 likewise assists -"in draining the solvent from the carrier and its contents during the comparatively long period The end portions 41,

that the carriers continue in a vertical direction over the solvent well 23. In this way relatively clean solvent is returned to the rinsing well 23 while contaminated solvent is returned to the vapor solvent well 22 where it is revaporized.

It will be noted that the cleaning cycle made possible by the apparatus of the present invention includes a preliminary hot vapor cleaning followed by a cool liquid solvent rinse followed by well and rinsing-- solvent well, a plurality of T-sprockets, apairof conveyor-chains in engagement with said sprockets; a plurality of cylindrical perforated work carriers rotatably mounted 'between the said conveyor chains, a pinion mounted integrally on one end of each said 1 carrier, a rack for engaging said pinions, said rack being disposedover'said vapor solvent well "and extending into and out of said rinsing solvent well, a pair of guide rollers rotatably mounted on each'said carrier at each end thereof, a top guide :iassociated with'and'disposed over said rack for '.'rolling contact with said guide rollers, an upper and loweriguidezmounted in paralleling relation 5?.

on the :side or the degreasing machine opposite "from the side-on which said rack is mounted, and

i disposed to receive said guide rollers there between with rolling contact, both said top and upper guidesbeingupwardly curved at the entrance ends thereof which receive said guide rollers in operative rolling contact.

THOMAS J. ImARNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS "Number Name Date 2,101,840 Dinley Dec. 14, 1937 2,107,890 'Frank Feb. 8, 1938 2,329,787 Romans 'Sept.'21, 1943 

